Aims To quantify the preferences and preparations for support during labor and the first hours after childbirth of pregnant women and the specific preference for continuous support. To investigate the association with parity and the intended place of birth. Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods Twelve …

Objective in the promotion of periconceptional health, appropriate attention has to be given to the perceptions of those who are most vulnerable, such as women with a relatively low socioeconomic status based on their educational attainment. The aim of this study was to explore these women's perceptions …

Background: The importance of the preconception period and preconception care (PCC) are broadly acknowledged and the potential benefits regarding health promotion have been studied extensively. PCC provides the opportunity to identify, prevent, and treat modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors to optimize …

Aim: To explore Dutch pregnant women’s experiences of shared-decision making about place of birth to better understand this process for midwifery care purposes. Design: Qualitative exploratory study with a constant comparison/grounded theory design. Methods: We performed semi-structured interviews, …

Objective: Gaining too much or too little weight in pregnancy (according to Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines) negatively affects both mother and child, but many women find it difficult to manage their gestational weight gain (GWG). Here we describe the use of the intervention mapping protocol to …

At the beginning of the twenty first century obesity entered Dutch maternity care as a ‘new illness’ challenging maternity care professionals in providing optimal care for women with higher BMI’s. International research revealed that obese women had more perinatal problems than normal weight women. …

Objective reduction of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy is common but undesirable, as it is associated with negative outcomes, including excessive gestational weight gain. Our objective was to explore changes in five types of activity that occurred during pregnancy and the behavioural determinants …

Healthy gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with better pregnancy outcomes and with improved health in the later lives of women and babies. In this thesis the author describes the process of developing an intervention to help pregnant women reach a healthy GWG. The need for this intervention …

Prevalence rates and the health problems related to maternal distress instigated the development of an intervention to prevent and reduce maternal distress during pregnancy. Intervention Mapping served as a framework for the intervention development. A needs assessment using the PRECEDE model and the …

Maternal distress varies in prevalence rates and displays various complaints, signs and symptoms. Additionally, multiple factors and causes contribute to both women’s vulnerability and manifestation of maternal distress. Worldwide maternal distress prevalence rates are up to 41% and the evidence of short …